Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Philip I. of Castile and Aragon

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2305759Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition — Philip I. of Castile and Aragon

PHILIP I. (14781506), of Castile and Aragon, surnamed “the Handsome,” was the son of the emperor Maximilian I. and Mary, the only child of Charles the Bold, last prince of the house of Burgundy, and was born at Bruges on 22d July 1478. He succeeded his mother in 1482, Maximilian being recognized as governor and guardian during the minority by all the provinces, except Flanders, the burghers of which took possession of Philip, and carried on the government in his name. This arrangement subsisted until 1489, when a long struggle resulted in the triumph of Maximilian, who henceforth had the guardianship uncontrolled. In 1494 Philip received the homage of the various states of the Netherlands, and in 1496 he was married to Joanna (Juana la Loca), second daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile and Aragon. On the early death of the other children of these sovereigns the succession vested in Joanna, and Philip as her husband proceeded to Spain, where he was recognized as heir-pre sumptive by the cortes of Toledo and Saragossa (represent ing Castile and Aragon respectively) in 1502. He returned, however, to Flanders before the close of the year, and was still absent when, on the death of Isabella in November 1504, Ferdinand caused Joanna and Philip to be proclaimed sovereigns of Castile, but at the same time assumed the regency to himself. It was only with difficulty that Ferdinand was induced to retire to Aragon and so make way for the new king in June 1506. Philip died three months afterwards (25th September 1506) at Burgos. His children by Joanna were Charles V., emperor, and king of Spain ; Ferdinand I., emperor ; Isabella, queen of Denmark ; Leonora, queen of Portugal and afterwards of France ; Mary, queen of Hungary and governor of the Netherlands ; and Catharine, queen of Portugal.